This Just In
Flu Epidemic 2013: What You Need to Know (VIDEO)
Let's start with the good news: It's not too late to get the flu shot! Even though there are "spot shortages" of the vaccine being reported around the country and this year's flu shot is only considered "moderately" effective (at 62%), it's still your best bet for avoiding this year's bug, which is (ready for the bad news?) a really, really bad one. How bad?
So far this season, more than 2,000 have died in the U.S. of flu-related complications, a number which has "pushed the illness past the 'epidemic' threshold." Oh, and more bad news: The outbreak could be far from over.
While some experts were hoping this year's flu already reached its peak, CDC Director Thomas Frieden said the current data could be unreliable because it was collected at the end of the holiday season when few people schedule visits to the doctor (meaning fewer people receiving diagnoses).
All told, this "season" could last another 2 to 4 months! Cripes. What to do?! Like we said, it's not too late to get the flu shot -- but bear in mind flu vaccines don't protect against other nasty diseases making the rounds right now including a new form of norovirus and a severe strain of whooping cough -- so don't forget to stick to those hand-washing, good-hygiene basics!!
Have you managed to avoid the flu so far this year?
Image via msnbc.com
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Piping Hot Posts
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
zombiemommy916
Deweymom
sterling21
femaleMIKE
@zombiemommy, When my friend had her baby during peak of the flu season 2 years ago. The maternity ward had a "no visitor" policy. So not even grandma was able to visit. I thought it was good, it keeps sick people away. Hopefully, your hospital will adopt that. I can't understand why people would go visit an infant when they are sick.
CPN322
No, 15 days now I'm still dealing with this crap :/ protect yourselves people as best you can! You do NOT want this crap. And the flu shot will not protect you by itself. My doctors wife got the shot and still got the flu and it lasted a whopping 12 days.
XxPixiesworldxX
I feel like I have said this to a thousand people every day for 2 weeks but Its worth knowing. I babysit 2 kids who got the flu shot, they BOTH came down with the flu a few weeks ago, a confirmed case of it, they were VERY ill for 2 full weeks.
We are a non-vaxxing family, and while these children were in my home SICK the whole time due to the mom not wanting to take off from work, we barely became ill for 1 day. My son started to sound croupy (he is 3 and gets croupy with every cold) and I could feel aches and sore throat coming on strongly and knew we had all caught it. BUT the same day we started to feel ill, we took each, a clove of raw garlic. The next morning we were completely 100% fine. We continued to take it for 5 days. We never got the full blown flu, we just felt like we were going to for 1 day, literally...
It works. Try it.
XxPixiesworldxX
and PS, I was 24 weeks pregnant at the time (currently 27). I didnt have to poison my baby or my body with tamiflu or flu shots or antibiotics.
SasjaDuke
Agree with XxPixiesworldxX 100% about these things being nothing but poison. Use common sense and keep up a strong immune system the natural way. Don't believe the hype the media and pharmaceutical companies start EVERY year.